Free things to do in Vilnius

Blog created at Last updated June 29, 2020

It is always fun to do something free of charge! But sometimes it is hard to find the information, so we decided to write a short article about free museums, galleries or interiors of some buildings that you can visit in Vilnius during your stay.

 

Visiting museums last Sunday of the month 

Yes! Since last year state-owned museums are free to visit every last Sunday of the month. It is kind of new for us, so it attracts a lot of interest. It is the best to visit a museum early in the morning to avoid the crowds. Here are the most popular museums we definitely recommend visiting:

Gediminas Castle Tower – it is a small museum where you can learn a bit about history of Vilnius and famous Baltic Way. Most of the people like the tower for a great panoramic view of Vilnius Old Town & New town from the top. More information about this museum here

Palace of Grand Dukes of Lithuania – it is one of the newest museums in Vilnius about the history of Vilnius and Lithuania from the very beginning till the end of the 18th century when Lithuania was included into Russian empire. Check out VR glasses on the route for fascinating changes of the Palace through history! More information about the museum here.

Trakai history museum in Trakai Island Castle – it is great museum for those who are interested in the history of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. But even if you are not a fan of history, it is worth checking it out for picturesque views. The castle is located on the island in the middle of the lake in Trakai very close to Vilnius.  The museum is quite pricey on an ordinary day, so we definitely recommend using the possibility to visit it for free. You can also check our blog post of how to get to Trakai

If you feel like you can visit more than three museums on one Sunday or want to visit the ones that are less crowded, here is the list of the other free museums on the last Sunday of the month:
Lithuanian Theatre, Music and Cinema museum (website only in Lithuanian), Lithuanian Art museum (a few locations), Lithuanian National museum (a few locations), Vilna Gaon State Jewish museum (a few locations).

Contemporary Art Centre (CAC or ŠMC)

If you are interested in contemporary art every Wednesday you can visit Contemporary Art Centre (Vokiečių g. 2) for free and join their free tour for everyone at 6 pm. They have 10-15 different exhibitions a year. You can check here what is happening right now.

CAC also has a Sculpture yard that you access from 12 pm till 7 pm for free every day.

 

Presidential Palace

While wondering the narrow winding streets of Vilnius Old Town, you will definitely pass the Presidential Palace. This is the work place of our president. And you can actually visit it for free with a guide during the weekends. However you have to book at least 3 days in advance to see the beautiful interiors of the palace and learn more about Lithuanian president.

If you do not want to plan a visit inside the palace, you can visit inner courtyard and the park of the palace without any pre-bookings from 6 pm to 11 pm on weekdays and from 11 am to 11 pm on weekend & holidays. Note that it might be closed if there are any official visits happening!

The last, but definitely not the least interesting thing you can do for free close to the Presidential Palace is to watch the Flag Replacement ceremony every Sunday at 12 pm.

Centre for Civil Education

Situated just on the other side of Presidential Palace building (entrance from Totorių street 28), this is a great modern place to learn more about how Lithuania functions as a country, its history and how citizens can get involved! This educational centre was opened in 2016 and uses modern technology and augmented reality to make the exhibitions more interactive and enhance your visit. There is a permanent exhibition, but temporary ones are also made for relevant events or issues in Lithuania. The visitors are also encouraged to express their opinions and ideas. Upon arrival to the centre, you will get a tablet which you will use to get information in English. This is a really cool modern museum/educational centre to get to Lithuania better.

You can visit this centre for civil education without prior registration on Saturdays from 11 am till 8 pm (last vistors can enter at 7 pm). It is closed on Mondays & Sundays. If you want a visit another day, it is opened from 9 am till 4 pm, however pre-booking is required by phone +370 706 64094.

And... it is completely free of charge!

Money museum of the Bank of Lithuania

Money is a serious business and this free museum offers a great interactive exhibitiion to learn more about money history and financial institutions in Lihuania. This is a perfect place for families and kids. You can weigh yourself and see how much you would be worth if you were a piece of gold! You can also do a test and get your picture on souvenir banknote to remember your visit. It is really cool what you can do there without paying any fee.

No tours are organized at the moment because of COVID-19, but you can still visit the museum during their opening hours (Tuesday-Friday 10am-7pm, Saturday 11am - 6pm) It is located here. Do not miss it!

Open Gallery - for street art lovers

Situated in the former factory in Vilnius, this is one of the coolest places you can find in Vilnius today. Here you will see more than 20 murals and different art pieces made by local and foreign artists and it is not the end. The project continues very year. If you are interested in street art, this place is perfect for you. You can access it for free 24/7. The entrance to the gallery is from Paneriu street.

If you also want to hear some insight stories and visit more cool places in Vilnius, you can join our tip based alternative tour every day at 3 pm (April-October) from Hales market (Pylimo g. 58).

Free events in Vilnius

Vilnius is full of action and there quite a lot free festivals, concerts, exhibitions happening especially during the weekends. You can always check free events in Vilnius on this website. When you choose the date also check “free admission” box and you will see what’s for free at the time you are visiting!

If you know more free things happening in Vilnius, please leave a comment below!